Introduction by Col.
Scott Pritchett

Over the centuries that armies have formed and fought,
the uniform has always been an important part of history. While
their styles and purposes have varied as endlessly as the passage of
time and the nature of conflict, uniforms have served a number of
purposes. They have been designed to intimidate enemies, maintain
battle lines, identify friend and foe, or have been modified to suit a
particular battle tactic. They have been designed for the splendor
of ceremonial duties and made for the camouflage and deception of the
sniper's stealth. Yet one aspect runs common throughout them all -
their special visual appeal.

Perhaps no other era in warfare, nor any country in
conflict has ever attained the dramatic visual achievement in its
uniforms, as did the Wehrmacht in World War II. The military,
political and civilian cultures of Germany emerged in the early 1930s
outfitted in a wide array of martial accouterments under the growing
power, guidance and influence of National Socialism. By the outbreak of
WWII Germany, as a nation had not only embodied the fervor of fascism in
the uniforms of her armed forces, but also consummated the history,
tradition and psyche of a proud and longstanding military heritage in
their form, function and appeal. Few if any modern militaries so
purposefully have linked the uniform to its national character. So
prominent an effort was hardly able to be missed by even her
enemies.

Germany's adversaries clearly took note of the attention to detail given
every aspect of German military uniforms. The rather unique
practice of wearing full decorations in battle drew much attention both
within the Wehrmacht and amongst its opponents. How many GIs,
Tommies or Red Army soldiers sought to liberate the Wehrmacht soldier of
his Luger, his helmet or his iron cross? A German taken prisoner who
bore the Ritterkreuz was widely recognized as an exceptional
adversary. The Waffen SS epitomized the idea of the driven,
selfless and unsparing warrior. Many an Allied soldier recognized the
collar patch and both dreaded and boasted of their clashes with the
"asphalt soldiers" of the Waffen SS. The German helmet
was and still is today perhaps the most widely recognized single uniform
item ever designed. It is this awe that German uniforms elicit -
with their exceptional level of attention to detail, their rich
traditions, color, and variety, as well as the sinister inspiration,
begrudging admiration and fear these uniforms evoked that probably draws
the ranks of collectors to this unusual theme of our hobby.

This section of the site strives to provide the collector with
articles that are basic enough for the novice but detailed enough for
collecting veterans. This is a growing area of the site, please
return often for updates as the section is populated.